Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam - Coming Up For Air [Album]

Blix Street Records

October 14, 2009, 09:52 PM

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Two years away from debut album "Roll Away" and everything has changed for Davy Knowles. His rhythm section Back Door Slam friendly parted ways with the guitarist and was subsequently replaced by a new rhythm section and they, in return, significantly influenced the sound of "Coming Up For Air," not at least because of keys player Benmont Tench (of Tom Petty fame) and Peter Frampton, who co-produced Knowles' second full lenght record. There’s more melody, more acoustics and, above all, more Knowles as he has changed with the times too. In fact, the follow-up of 2007’s "Roll Away" finds the young songwriter in an extremely confessional state of mind. Most songs reminisces the darker moments of his life and of those close to him and though he still shines as a guitarist, it's the songs and the lyrics more than just his guitar that hit the right notes this time.

Having an urge to move forward musically, Knowles found inspiration in the sixties scene of Laurel Canyon, famous for residents like Joni Mitchell & Neil Young. 'Amber’s Song,' 'Mistakes' and 'You Can’t Take This Back' are all perfect examples of this influence; the lyrics are personal but poetic, the atmosphere is relaxed and Knowles’ finger picking style on his acoustic guitar somehow creates an intensity comparable to the songs where he intends to blow up the entire sound equipment. Another influence from American ground can be found in 'Riverbed,' a story about a train & boat crash on the Mississippi that haunted Knowles for a long time and 'Saving Myself,' where the old-fashioned National Steel guitar helps him create the classic blues sound so often reproduced by the original blues singers of the twenties.

Nevertheless, Knowles still knows how to make his guitar cry. The gospel filled 'Tear Down the Walls' and the George Harrison cover 'Hear Me Lord' find him going for it like it’s the last time he can ever play the guitar. Every emotion, every drop of sweat and every drop of blood running through his veins is completely dedicated to the instrument he loves so much and though there's still the incidental influences - the experimental Jimi Hendrix on the title song, Brian May’s playfulness on 'Keep On Searching' and a little bit of Mark Knopfler - Knowles seems to have shaken off most of them by now.

Still, his signature isn't so much the way he makes his guitar cry, it's the sadness from his soul he shares that makes the songs really stand out. The feeling of hopelessness he does express make you feel the way he feels, such is the strength of his voice and though his guitar abilities are beyond question - his work on 'Hear Me Lord' and 'Tear Down the Walls' is just amazing - acoustic songs like 'Mistakes' and 'Amber's Song' have the same results just because of their sincerity and the laid back atmosphere. And herein lies the true genius of the young guitarist; he knows when to open all registers and he knows when to stop it as well.

All in all, "Coming Up For Air"'s diversity gives the impression that it is a bit of a slide show of his musical influences & interests rather than a coherent album but there's so much progression in the depth of the lyrics and the subtlety of his guitar that there's nothing else that can be done than to conclude that "Coming Up For Air" definitely is what he wanted; the next step musically. By now Knowles has shown he can play the guitar like no-one else; he also shownhis ability to write like no-one else. It's only a matter of time before he delivers his first masterpiece.

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